Auto Reply
instant answers without new headcount
Customers expect a ping in seconds. Auto-reply covers predictable intents—pricing keywords, office hours, handoff copy—so agents only see threads that need judgment.
Overview
What is Auto Reply?
Routine answers on autopilot.
When a customer sends a message, you don't have to type it yourself. Set up rules by keyword, content, or time of day. Send instant acknowledgments. Answer FAQs with chatbot flows. Route complex questions to your team. The routine stuff runs on autopilot.
Welcome messages, away replies, keyword triggers, business hours, and anti-spam protection—all configurable without code. Define keywords that trigger specific replies. Send a welcome message to new chats. Use business hours to auto-reply during opening times and switch to away messages outside them.
Auto-reply works with webhooks, API endpoints, Zapier, and n8n. Connect to your CRM, ticketing system, or custom backend. Inbound messages hit your webhook—you decide what happens next: send a reply, create a ticket, update a record, or call an AI service for smarter responses.
Keyword-based rules
Trigger auto-replies based on specific keywords or phrases. Match exact, partial, or fuzzy. Create custom rules for different message types and inquiries.
Time-based responses
Set different responses for business hours vs after-hours with timezone support. Away message auto-sends outside opening hours.
Chatbot flows
Create multi-step chatbot conversations for lead qualification and FAQs. Guide customers through common inquiries.
Message routing
Route complex inquiries to team members while auto-replying to simple questions. Right person handles each message.
Types of auto-reply
Three main types: welcome message (first contact), away/out-of-hours (business hours), and keyword triggers (smart match). Each can be configured separately. Combine them for full coverage.
Welcome message
Auto-send a first-contact greeting when a new contact messages you. Set a cooldown window to avoid re-sending within 24 hours.
Away / out-of-hours
Define business hours. When a message arrives outside those hours, send an automated away message. Resume normal replies at opening.
Keyword triggers
Match exact, partial, or fuzzy keywords in incoming messages. Fire a specific reply based on what the contact wrote.
Common use cases
- •Instant acknowledgment of customer inquiries
- •FAQ responses for common questions
- •Business hours messaging and after-hours notices
- •Lead qualification and initial screening
- •Appointment booking confirmations
Anti-spam and bot-loop protection
These limits apply to all auto-reply types on each device. They prevent infinite loops when two automated systems message each other, and they ensure your human replies take priority.
Bot-loop prevention: if WAPing detects that the same number is receiving and triggering auto-replies repeatedly, it will automatically pause all auto-replies to that contact and flag it for review.
Configurable minimum gap so rapid-fire inbound bursts do not spam multiple automated replies.
When an agent sends manually, automation should yield so the customer sees a coherent human thread.
Upper bounds per contact per day reduce runaway loops if another bot echoes your number.
Keyword rules example
Create rules like: keyword "price" (contains) → reply "Check our pricing at…"; keyword "hello" (exact) → reply "Hi! How can we help?"; keyword "support" (contains) → reply "Our team will assist you"; keyword "cancel" (contains) → reply "We're sorry to hear that…".
Add as many rules as you need. Order matters—first match wins.
Integration options
Auto-reply works with webhooks, API endpoints, Zapier, and n8n. Connect to your CRM, ticketing system, or custom backend.
Inbound messages hit your webhook. You decide what happens next—send a reply, create a ticket, update a record, or call an AI service.
Where this fits
Auto-reply is the first line for FAQs and after-hours coverage. Typical flows: support automation, OTP and codes. Technical entry points: Webhooks overview, API quickstart. Plans and API access are on pricing.
FAQ
Straight answers—same facts as our pricing and security pages.